1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing apparatus control method, and a computer program.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an image processing apparatus, a multifunction peripheral including a scanner, a facsimile, a printer, and the like has been proposed. Usually, a multifunction peripheral includes a storage device for storing image data. Further, functions (box functions) for storing in the storage device data input by various methods, such as by document scanning by the scanner, and image data reception from a computer connected via a network, are generally known. An application in the multifunction peripheral may utilize the image data stored in a box directly or after the image data is edited. For example, this image data may be moved to another box, or combined with other pieces of image data and bound into a book and printed. Alternatively, the image data may be compressed and then sent via electronic mail. During such operations, sometimes several functions need to be combined, or detailed settings need to be performed. Therefore, currently, the idea of employing a hot folder for the boxes is being investigated. In an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, a hot folder is a function that enables image data to be automatically printed based on a setting file (process definition file) pre-associated with a predetermined folder just by storing image data in the folder. When image data is stored in the hot folder, the utilized hot folder acts as a trigger that enables a series of processes to be executed, such as a workflow defined by the process definition file associated with the hot folder.
A multifunction peripheral has several functions, including electronic mail sending of image data and copying and movement of image data. By registering processes other than printing as the process definition file, such functions of a multifunction peripheral can be executed. The processing does not have to be performed immediately. For example, by specifying the execution date and time in the process definition file, the processing can be executed at the specified execution date and time, even if image data is stored in the folder. The specified execution date and time can designate a one time only execution, or a periodic execution. Further, the image data to be processed can be specified as a single piece of image data or several pieces of image data. Therefore, for example, for a meeting held every Monday at 10 a.m., a setting can be performed that combines three pieces of image data at 9 a.m. every Monday, and executes printing of the combined data as a meeting material.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-242781 discusses a printing control method that generates a setting file for a print file to be stored in a folder, and sets the setting file in the folder. Further, when this printing control method detects that a print file is imported into the folder, the method adds and transfers this setting file to the imported print file.
In conventional technology for performing a series of processes utilizing a hot folder in which the execution date and time is specified, the processing sometimes cannot be executed, even though the execution date and time has arrived. For example, when the image data to be processed does not exist in the predetermined folder or is insufficient, the processing cannot be executed even though the execution date and time has arrived. Even if the user subsequently stores the image data in the predetermined folder after the execution date and time has passed, the processing of the process definition file associated with the hot folder is not executed because the execution date and time has passed. To execute a desired process, either the execution time and date of the process definition file associated with the hot folder has to be changed, or the user manually has to execute the processes in the order described in the process definition file. For the user, this is inconvenient.